When it comes to a game's length, preferences vary from person to person. It's not too hard to put together though. Gamers who stick to action-oriented games like shooters and adventure titles typically like 'em short and sweet, while those into strategy and RPG titles tend to get the most out of longer experiences. Regardless of where you fall in this discussion, one thing that's clear is that some games take way too long to get through.
This isn't a knock against these titles, and it's an aspect that certain gamers love. But not everyone can put in 40 plus hours into a game with one playthrough. There's a middle-ground between too short and too long, and these games are a little too close to the latter.
10 10. X-COM: UFO Defense – 39 Hours
X-COM: UFO Defense is an absolute classic in the strategy genre of games. First released in 1994, the game has certainly left its mark on the industry and fandom. It's inspired various sequels and spin-offs both official and fan made.
UFO Defense will take you about 39 hours to beat if you're just going for the main story. That's not super long, but right around that ballpark. The game gets really long if you're a completionist though, as it can take well over 60 hours to get through.
9 9. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess – 37 Hours
The Zelda games have always been challenging, and as a result, rather time-consuming. Between grand narratives, world exploration, and tricky puzzles, gamers have to dedicate a decent amount of time to completing these titles.
Twilight Princess is one of the longest games in the series, with Breath of the Wild beating it out by a decent amount. Though the game clocks in at a reasonable 37-hour length, those wishing to do everything the game has to over will have to put in an additional 20 hours or so.
8 8. StarCraft 64 – 87 Hours
Though many may have been introduced to the original StarCraft via the initial PC version of the game, the Nintendo 64 version is just as good - and carries a much higher price tag if you're interested in picking the game up physically.
This RTS classic is no joke to beat. It's not only a challenging title, but one that takes a good amount of time to get through as well. At 87 hours, it sports one of the longest completion times on both the N64 and this list.
7 7. Dark Cloud 2 – 50 Hours
Certain games get lost in time, despite having been received well at the time of their release. Dark Cloud 2 just so happens to be one of those games. The PS2 classic sold well and even won some awards, but for some reason isn't really talked about anymore.
Dark Cloud 2 is no joke to beat. The action RPG takes around 50 hours to get through and that's only if you focus on the story. If you add in some extra side quests and whatnot, the game can take upwards of 70 hours to beat. Gamers wanting to complete everything will have to clear up around 130 plus hours.
6 6. Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne – 53 Hours
Often regarded as one of the greatest JRPG's of its era, Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne is a fantastic and deep RPG experience that players will have to dedicate many hours to. It's well worth the time, but something that's easier for some than it is others.
Nocturne's story is one of the most intriguing and absorbing in the series, but will take over 50 hours to get through. That's a rather quick playthrough as well, as players wanting to put in extra work are looking at around 90 hours of gameplay.
5 5. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn – 72 Hours
With the announcement of Baldur's Gate III at this year's E3, plenty of interested newcomers will probably be checking the series out. Be warned though; these games will take over your life.
Insanely addictive and challenging, Shadows of Amn takes up about 72 hours for those wishing to get past its main story. It can take upwards of 140 hours for those wanting to check every box.
4 4. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 – 72 Hours
Still the most popular entry in the Persona series, Persona 4 not only takes a decent while to really get started, but also takes a considerable amount of time to actually beat.
With all of its dungeon crawling and social sim elements, its length shouldn't surprise anyone. There's tons to do and a lot of replayability. 72 hours seems like a lot, but most players easily go over that between Social Links and level grinding. Expect to put in around 120 hours into this game.
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It's one thing to put countless hours into a well-made game, but why would you go and put in over 60 hours into something that sucks? Gamers wanting to playthrough Digimon World 2 will be asking themselves that question by the time they're done with the game.
This abysmal PS1 era RPG puts players through 65 hours of its main story. It can actually take twice as long if players want to go the completionist route, which many probably won't.
2 2. Monster Hunter Freedom Unite – 141 Hours
Monster Hunter Freedom Unite is unique in that it's not only a fairly lengthy game, but quality through and through. Though the scope of it all may scare some players off, it never fails in being an enjoyable and exciting experience.
Freedom Unite is undoubtedly the longest game on this list, as its main story completion time of 141 hours dwarfs some games' completionist times. Speaking of, those wanting to 100% the game will have to somehow allocate 400 plus hours into it. Yikes.
1 1. Dragon Warrior VII – 106 Hours
Dragon Warrior VII was the last Dragon Quest title to be released in North America under the Warrior moniker. Though not as commercially successful as it was in Japan, it still did well in North America.
Dragon Warrior VII is a pretty long game, taking over 100 hours to beat. There's tons of content in the game though, and those wanting to experience it all will have to put in 250 plus hours.